US3122368A

US3122368A - Game

Info

Publication number: US3122368A
Application number: US71638A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy Carlotta Leath
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-11-25
Filing date: 1960-11-25
Publication date: 1964-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1981-02-25
Also published as: GB979345A

Description

Feb. 25, 1964 FIG. 2

C. L. ROY

GAME

Filed Nov. 25, 1960 Inventor CARLOT TA L. R0 Y byzg7w Attorney United States Patent Ofi ice 3,1223% Patented Feb. 25, 1964 3,122,358 GAME (Iarlotta Leath Roy, 4&4 dpadiua Road, Apt. 408, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor of fifty percent to Norman J. Herman Filed i luv. 25, 19-50, Ser. No. 71,638 It filaims. ((31. 273-121) This invention relates to a game for the amusement and satisfaction of old and young alike, the game requiring a measure of skillful manipulation and judgment, which is appealing to ones competitive nature.

One important object of this invention is to provide a game which is devoid of any mechanical contrivance but nevertheless can ready itself for the next player or for another turn after one turn has been taken at the game.

Another very important object is to provide a game of relatively simple construction which can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

The principal feature of this invention resides in providing a game structure in the form of a receptacle open at the top to view, the receptacle having a main panel inclined to the horizontal whose upper surface is the playing surface and upon which a suitable ball is adapted to be impelled or rolled, from the lower end to the upper end, the playing surface panel terminating at the upper end in a target for the selected ball in the form of an upstanding transversely-extending wall having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough of a size and configuration to register with the ball when properly directed, the apertures defining openings into an inclined ramp formation arranged to follow the periphery of the main playing surface panel aforementioned and terminating near the lowermost end of the latter panel with the lowe most end in co-planar relation therewith, whereby a ball travelling down the ramp is returned to the playing surface.

Another feature resides in providing an upstanding V-shaped Wall formation at the lower end of the ramp formation and playing surface panel, the arms of the V-shaped wall formation having a somewhat diagonal direction in relation to the direction and extent of the playing surface and ramp formation and being adapted to guide and direct a ball either from the ramp to a central position at the lower end of the playing surface, or to guide a ball which has been played but has not registered with one of the apertures, to the lower end of the playing surface and in position to be played again.

Still another feature resides in forming an aperture through the apex of the V-shaped upstanding wall formation where the ball is centered, and employing a blowpipe mounted behind the aperture to be used to impel the ball up the playing surface on imparting to the blowpipe a sharp breath of air, the blowpipe being swivelly mounted to direct the ball into any one of the apertures in the upstanding wall at the end of the main bottom panel.

These and other objects and features are described in detail in the following specification which is to be read in conjunction with the sheet of drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a game structure embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the game structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical mid-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical mid-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the blowpipe attachment for the game of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 6 is a further embodhnent of a blowpipe attachment for the game of FIGURE 1.

In the drawings, the game structure ill in FIGURES 1 and 2 includes a support structure in the form of a recep- 2 tacle consisting of a rectangular surface-engaging plate 11, having an upstanding surrounding wall 12 made up of longitudinally-extending

side Walls

13 and 14 and transversely-extending from end wall 15 and rear end wall 16.

Mounted within the surrounding wall 12 and below the upper edges thereof is a first planar panel 17, the upper surface constituting the playing surface, and extending longitudinally and above the surface-engaging plate 11. The playing surface panel 17 is supported on a downturned flange 18 located next adjacent the side wall 13 and on an upstanding longitudinally-extending intermediate wall portion 19. The playing surface panel 17 is mounted to slope substantially uniformly from a point in front of the rear end wall 16, downwardly and forwardly to the front end wall 15.

A generally planar panel 2%, which constitutes a section of a ramp formation, is mounted in side-by-side relation to the first playing surface panel 17 to extend longitudinally of the receptacle. Ramp panel 20 is supported upon a downturned flange 21 located next adjacent to the side Wall 14 and on intermediate wall 19 at the other edge. Ramp panel 20 is mounted to slope substantially uniformly from the rear end Wall 16 downwardly and forwardly to the front end wall 15, the angle of inclination being less than that of the playing surface panel 17. It will also be observed that the rearward end 22 of the ramp panel 2i) is lower than the rearward end 23 of the playing surface panel 17. Also, the forward ends 24 and 25 of ramp panel 20 and playing surface panel 17, respectively, are arranged in substantially co-planar relation, which is indicated at 26.

A generally planar panel 27 constituting the second section of the ramp formation is mounted within the receptacle to extend transversely thereof and immediately in front of the rear end wall 15 and slopes from the side wall 13, at the intersection indicated at 28 of the rearward end 23 of playing surface panel 17, transversely downwardly to meet and join with the rearward end 22 of the ramp panel 29. The juncture of ramp panels 27 and 2% is indicated at 2e.

It will thus be seen that the second ramp panel 27 and first ramp panel 20 define an inclined ramp formation 42 leading from the rear end wall to to the lower end of the playing surface panel 17.

Upstanding at the juncture of the playing surface panel 17 and ramp panel 27 is a transversely-extending wall 3% which supports a top wall 31 at one edge, top wall 31 being supported at the opposite edge by rear end wall 16 and closing over the ramp panel 27.

The wall St? is provided with spaced apertures 32 therethrough of generally circular configuration, the upper surface of the playing surface panel 17 being arranged in tangential relation with the lowermost edge portions of the apertures 32 as indicated at 33.

This latter structure constitutes the target for the game.

The intermediate longitudinally-extending wall 19 is upstanding at the juncture of playing surface panel 17 and ramp panel 2% and extends longitudinally from the wall 36 to the co lanar juncture of

panels

17 and 26 as indicated at 34. The upper edge 35 slopes uniformly downwardly to avoid any sharp corners.

Disposed within the receptacle at the forward end is an upstanding V-shaped wall formation 36, the apex of the V, 37, being arranged preferably on the longitudinal center line of the playing surface panel 17 and spaced from the front end wall 15.

Arm portion 38 of wall formation 36 extends somewhat diagonally of the receptacle and over the co-planar juncture of the

panels

17 and 24 to intersect the side wall 14.

Arm portion 39 extends generally diagonally of the receptacle to intersect side wall 15. s

It is to be observed that both

arm portions

38, 39 are slightly curvate forwardly, which enhances the guiding action of a ball which is to be centered at the apex 37.

The apex 37 of the V-shaped wall formation 36 is provided with an opening 4% therethrough, whose side edges 443a and 4512 are angled upwardly and toward one another to define a generally inverted V-shape.

The structure It? is adapted to be used with a ball 41 whose size and configuration is determined in relation to the apertures 32, in a manner that the ball 41 will readily pass through the apertures 32 upon a direct approach being made but will be a little more difiicult to register upon an approach being made angularly or by deflection or, for example, if the ball should have a spin.

It will be appreciated that the ball 41, when it registers with one of the openings 32, will be impelled under gravity to travel down the ramp formation 42 defined by the ramp panels 27 and 2t}, and then be guided by the arm portion 38 of the V-shaped wall formation 36 and ultimately the ball 41 will be centered at the apex 37 of the V.

Should the ball 4 not register with one of the apertures 32, it will be impelled under gravity to travel down the playing surface and be centered by either

arm portion

33 or 39 at the apex 37.

A blowpipe attachment 43 is mounted at the front end of the receptacle, the lower end 44 of the blowpipe extending through an aperture 45 in front end wall 15.

The blowpipe 43 has a generally J-shaped configuration with an orifice 46 at the lower forward end and a mouthpiece 47 at the upper end.

The horizontal extension 44 of blowpipe 43 is such to place the orifice 45 immediately behind the apex 37 of the V-shaped Wall formation 36 to deliver a sharp breath directly onto the ball 41.

A universal joint connection can be provided to connect the J-shaped blowpipe attachment 43 in the opening 45 of the front end wall 15, while it may be desirable, on the other hand, to give an individual blowpipe to each player, to be inserted through opening 45.

Alternatively, a blowpipe attachment 48 can be provided having an extension 49 at its lower end, which extension may serve the purpose of collecting saliva which is incident with the use of the pipe 48.

It has been found that the type of ball which can be most satisfactorily used with a blowpipe is a hollow celluloid ball well known in the game of pingpong. It has been found that such ball is readily impelled under the application of a sharp breath to the blowpipe up the playing surface of panel 17 It is to be noted also that the edges dtla and 49b of the aperture at the apex 37 of the V-shaped wall formation 36, because of their inclination, provide spaced stop surfaces to be contacted by the surface of the ball 41. Moreover, with the V-shape, a greater area of the ball 41;is exposed to the blowpipe so that different directions can be given to the ball in impelling it toward the apertures.

It will be readily appreciated that in playing the game the player will score a certain number of points if he should be successful, for example in impelling the ball through the central aperture, whereas a greater number of points will be scored if the ball is passed through the apertures on either side.

With the

blowpipe attachments

43 or 48, the player is at all times overlooking the playing surface and is able to direct the air emitted therefrom by changing the position of the blowpipe in such a manner that the ball will be impelled up the surface of playing surface panel 17 toward the apertures 32 or under the skill acquired at the game, for example be able to cause the ball to spin and thereby register it with one of the openings to score. Should the ball 41 fail to register, it is returned by gravity to the forward end and will be guided by the

arms

33 and 39 to the playing position at the apex 37 of the V and in position to be played again.

Also, it is to be borne in mind that the ball 41 may be i impelled manually or by a snap of the fingers if a player should deem it desirable.

It will be appreciated that the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, whereas it will be within the ability of those persons skilled in the art to make modifications or variations in the structure without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Game structure open at the top to view including an inclined panel, the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface and up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means upstanding from and extending across the upper end of said first inclined panel, said target means being adapted to pass a selected ball therepast, and an inclined ram formation including a first downwardly inclined section extending behind said target means and a second downwardly inclined section extending between the lower end of said first-mentioned section and the lower end of said inclined panel and merging with the lower end of said inclined panel in coplanar relationship therewith and being arranged to deliver a selected ball passed by said target means down said ramp formation onto the surface of the lower end of said inclined panel under gravity, and a peripheral upstanding wall including end wall portions and side wall portions enclosing said inclined panel and ramp formation; a generally V-shaped wall formation upstanding from said inclined panel at the lower end thereof, said wall formation having an apex being disposed lowermost on said inclined panel, one arm of the V extending up the inclined panel and outwardly to intersect with said peripheral wall at one side, the other arm of the V extending up the inclined panel and outwardly over the coplanar portion of the lower end of said ramp formation and intersecting the surrounding wall formation at the other side, the arms of the V being adapted to confine and guide a selected ball to the apex of the V, said apex having an opening therethrough which opening has an inverted V-shaped configuration, blowpipe means swivelly mounted next adjacent the apex portion of said V-shaped wall formation, said blowpipe means having an orifice portion arranged immediately behind the opening in the apex portion of said V-shaped wall formation, said blowpipe means having an upright portion extending above said surrounding wall formation and surmounted by a mouthpiece.

2. Game structure according to claim 1 in which said swivelly mounted blowpipe means is provided with a receptacle portion extending below the juncture of said orifice portion and said upright portion.

3. A game structure open at the top to View including an inclined panel, the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface and up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means comprising a wall formation upstanding from and extending across the upper end of said first inclined panel, said wall formation having at least one circular opening therethrough of a size and configuration to pass a selected ball therethrough, the upper surface of said inclined panel being arranged tangentially to the lowermost edge portion of said opening, and an inclined ramp formation including a first downwardly inclined section extending behind said target means and a second downwardly inclined section extending between the lower end of said first-mentioned section and the lower end of said inclined panel and merging with the lower end of said inclined panel in coplanar relationship therewith and being arranged to deliver a selected ball passed by said target means down said ramp formation onto the surface of the lower end of said inclined panel under gravity, and a peripheral upstanding wall including end wall portions and side wall portions enclosing said inclined panel and ramp formation.

4. Game structure according to claim 3 wherein said first upstanding wall formation is provided with a plurality of spaced openings arranged across the upper end of said inclined panel.

5. In a game, a first panel inclined upwardly from the forward end to the rearward end, the upper surface thereof constituting a playing surface up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, a first wall formation upstanding from and extending across the rearward end of said first inclined panel, said first wall formation having open ings therethrough arranged in spaced relation across the upper rearward end of said first inclined panel, the openings having a size and configuration to pass a selected ball therethrough, a second panel at one side of said first inclined panel and inclined upwardly from the forward end to the rearward end of said first inclined panel, the forward lower end of said second panel being arranged in co-planar relation with the forward lower end of said first inclined panel and inclined upwardly at an angle less than said first inclined panel, and a third panel extending transversely of said first inclined panel and rearwardly of said first wall formation, said third panel providing communication between said second inclined panel and said openings, said third panel having an inclination which is adapted to deliver a selected ball passed through one of said openings onto said second inclined panel to return such ball under gravity to the forward lower end of said first inclined panel, and an upstanding peripheral wall formation surrounding said first, second and third inclined panels to define a receptacle therewith, the surrounding surfaces thereof confining and controlling the direction of a selected ball.

6. Game structure open at the top to view including a playing surface panel inclined to the horizontal, the playing surface panel having an upper edge, lower edge and side edges, the upper surface of the bottom panel constituting the playing surface up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, a wall formation upstanding from said playing surface panel and extending across and abutting the upper edge thereof, said wall formation having at least one opening therethrough of a size and configuration to pass a selected ball therethrough, which has been impelled up said playing surface and directed into said opening, and an inclined ramp formation including a first inclined section extending behind said upstanding wall formation and abutting same and whose surface is located below the level of the upper edge of said inclined playing surface panel and a second section extending along one side edge of said inclined playing surface panel and intersecting at the upper end with said first section and inclined therefrom to a point of intersection with the lower end of said inclined playing surface panel, the surface of the lower end of said second section being arranged in co-planar relation to the surface of said lower end of said inclined playing surface panel to deliver a selected ball passed through said opening and down the ramp formation onto the surface of said lower end of said inclined playing surface panel under gravity, and a peripheral upstmding wall including end wall portions and side Wall portions enclosing said inclined playing surface panel and ramp formation.

7. Game comprising in combination, a hollow celluloid ball, blowpipe means, and game structure open at the top to view including a bottom panel inclined to the horizontal, the playing surface panel having an upper edge, lower edge and side edges, the upper surface of the playing surface panel constituting the playing surface up which the selected ball is adapted to be impelled, a wall formation upstanding from the playing surface panel and extending across and abutting the upper edge thereof, said wall formation having at least one opening therethrough of a size and configuration to pass the selected ball therethrough, which has been impelled up said playing surface and directed into said opening, and an inclined ramp formation including a first inclined section extending behind said upstanding wall formation and abutting same and whose surface is located below the level of the upper edge of said inclined playing surface panel and a second section extending along one side edge of said inclined playing surface panel and intersecting at the upper end with said first section and inclined therefrom to a point of intersection with the lower end of said inclined playing surface panel, the surface of the lower end of said second section being arranged in co-planar relation to the surface of said lower end of said playing surface panel to deliver a selected ball passed through said opening and down the ramp formation onto the surface of said lower end of said inclined playing surface panel under gravity, and a peripheral upstanding wall including end wall portions and side wall portions enclosing said inclined playing surface panel along the lower edge and one side edge and enclosing the first and second sections of said inclined ramp formation, and a V-shaped wall formation upstanding from said inclined playing surface panel with the apex of the V disposed lowermost, one arm of the V extending up the inclined playing surface panel and outwardly to intersect with one side wall portion of the peripheral upstanding wall and the other arm extending up the inclined playing surface panel and outwardly over the co-planar portion of the lower end of said ramp formation and intersecting the other side wall portion of the peripheral upstanding wall, the apex portion of the V-shaped wall formation having an opening therethrough, the apex being spaced forwardly of the lower end wall portion of the peripheral wall.

8. In a game structure open at the top to view, an inclined panel the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means upstanding from and extending across the upper end of said inclined panel, ball centering means upstanding from the lower end of said inclined panel having a ball centering aperture therethrough centrally of said inclined panel and blow pipe means swivelly mounted on said game structure on the side of said ball centering means opposite to said target means, said blow pipe means having an orifice portion immediately behind said ball centering aperture, said blow pipe means under the application of pressure air thereto being adapted to impel a selected ball up said playing surface at a determined angle.

9. In a game structure open at the top to view, an inclined panel the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means upstanding from and extending across the upper end of said inclined panel, ball centering and guiding means upstanding from the lower end of said inclined panel having a ball centering aperture therethrough centrally of said inclined panel and presenting diverging guiding surface formations extending diagonally upwardly of said inclined panel on opposite sides of said ball centering aperture and being adapted to direct a selected ball to said ball centering aperture, and blow pipe means swivelly mounted on said game structure on the side of said ball centering and guiding means opposite to said target means, said blow pipe means having an orifice portion immediately behind said ball centering aperture and an upright portion extending above said playing surface surmounted by a mouth-piece, said blow pipe means being adapted under the application of pressure air thereto to impel a selected ball up said playing surface in a determined direction.

10. Game structure open at the top to view including an inclined panel, the upper surface of which constitutes a playing surface and up which a selected ball is adapted to be impelled, target means comprising a first wall formation upstanding from and extending across the upper end of said first inclined panel, said wall formation having at least one opening therethrough of a size and configuration to pass a selected ball therethrough; and an inclined ramp formation including a first downwardly inclined section extending behind said target means and a second downwardly inclined section extend- V v V a ing between the lower end of said first-mentioned section and the lower end of said inclined panel and merging with the lower end of said inclined panel in coplanar relationship therewith and being arranged to deliver a selected ball passed by said target means down said ramp formation onto the surface of the lower end of said inclined panel under gravity, a peripheral upstanding wall including end wall portions and side wall portions enclosing said panel and ramp formation, said game structure further including a second wall formation upstanding between and separating said inclined panel and the second section of said inclined ramp formation, and intersecting the wall upstanding across the upper end of said inclined panel at the juncture of said first and second sections of said ramp formation, said second wall formation terminating at a point spaced from the lower coplanar ends of said inclined panel and ramp formation and defining an entrance from said ramp formation onto 5 the lower end of said inclined panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,283 Muller Aug. 4, 1942 10 2,595,649 Eistetter May 6, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 667,544 France Oct. 17, 1929

Claims

3. A GAME STRUCTURE OPEN AT THE TOP TO VIEW INCLUDING AN INCLINED PANEL, THE UPPER SURFACE OF WHICH CONSTITUTES A PLAYING SURFACE AND UP WHICH A SELECTED BALL IS ADAPTED TO BE IMPELLED, TARGET MEANS COMPRISING A WALL FORMATION UPSTANDING FROM AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE UPPER END OF SAID FIRST INCLINED PANEL, SAID WALL FORMATION HAVING AT LEAST ONE CIRCULAR OPENING THERETHROUGH OF A SIZE AND CONFIGURATION TO PASS A SELECTED BALL THERETHROUGH, THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID INCLINED PANEL BEING ARRANGED TANGENTIALLY TO THE LOWERMOST EDGE PORTION OF SAID OPENING, AND AN INCLINED RAMP FORMATION INCLUDING A FIRST DOWNWARDLY INCLINED SECTION EXTENDING BEHIND SAID TARGET MEANS AND A SECOND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED SECTION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF SAID FIRST-MENTIONED SECTION AND THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED PANEL AND MERGING WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED PANEL IN COPLANAR RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH AND BEING ARRANGED TO DELIVER A SELECTED BALL PASSED BY SAID TARGET MEANS DOWN SAID RAMP FORMATION ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED PANEL UNDER GRAVITY, AND A PERIPHERAL UPSTANDING WALL INCLUDING END WALL PORTIONS AND SIDE WALL PORTIONS ENCLOSING SAID INCLINED PANEL AND RAMP FORMATION.
8. IN A GAME STRUCTURE OPEN AT THE TOP TO VIEW, AN INCLINED PANEL THE UPPER SURFACE OF WHICH CONSTITUTES A PLAYING SURFACE UP WHICH A SELECTED BALL IS ADAPTED TO BE IMPELLED, TARGET MEANS UPSTANDING FROM AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE UPPER END OF SAID INCLINED PANEL, BALL CENTERING MEANS UPSTANDING FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED PANEL HAVING A BALL CENTERING APERTURE THERETHROUGH CENTRALLY OF SAID INCLINED PANEL AND BLOW PIPE MEANS SWIVELLY MOUNTED ON SAID GAME STRUCTURE ON THE SIDE OF SAID BALL CENTERING MEANS OPPOSITE TO SAID TARGET MEANS, SAID BLOW PIPE MEANS HAVING AN ORIFICE PORTION IMMEDIATELY BEHIND SAID BALL CENTERING APERTURE, SAID BLOW PIPE MEANS UNDER THE APPLICATION OF PRESSURE AIR THERETO BEING ADAPTED TO IMPEL A SELECTED BALL UP SAID PLAYING SURFACE AT A DETERMINED ANGLE.